Public Encouraged To Meet With Police Chief Candidates
(Le Mars) — The five finalists for the position of police chief will meet the public at a meet and greet reception session scheduled for this early evening at 6:30 p.m. at the city council chambers. The candidates will have an opportunity to interact with members of the public and answer any questions they might have. Spouses and/or significant others are invited and encouraged to attend this event. Tonight’s reception
will end at approximately 8:00 p.m. The five police chief finalists include Robert Bendlin with the Le Mars Police Department, Shane Brevik with the Spirit Lake, Iowa Police Department; Ray Eickholt with the Storm Lake, Iowa Police Department; Deric Gress with the Ypilanti, Michigan Police Department; and Kevin
Vande Vege with the Le Mars Police Department. Mayor Dick Kirchoff says there were over 40 applications from 20 different states.
Le Mars Man Dies During Fatal Auto Accident
(Orange City) — A Le Mars man died as a result of an accident that happened Wednesday afternoon at about 1:25 p.m. The accident was reported at the intersection of Grant Avenue and 500th Street in Sioux County, about three miles south of Maurice. Michael Alons, age 61, of Sheldon was driving a Kenworth truck pulling a Walinga grain trailer and heading westbound on 500th Street.
The trailer was fully loaded with feed. 54 year old Mark Grosenheider of Le Mars was driving a Dodge Dakota pick-up truck going southbound on Grant Avenue.
The Grosenheider vehicle struck the grain trailer and became wedged underneath it, and was drug several hundred feet on 500th Street. The pick-up truck started on fire and became fully engulfed in flames with Grosenheider trapped inside. Alons was transported to the Sheldon hospital by the Sioux Center
ambulance for a precautionary checkup. Grosenheider died at the scene from injuries sustained in the accident. The grain trailer, owned by Hartog Elevator of Sanborn sustained approximately $100,000 in damage, and Dodge Dakota pickup
was a total loss. The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Maurice First Responders, Maurice Fire Department, Sioux Center Ambulance, and the Iowa State Patrol. The accident remains under investigation.
Woodbury County Investigates Fatal Accident
(Sioux City) — Woodbury County authorities are investigating a fatal auto accident that happened Wednesday at around 6:18 p.m. along the 2800 block of Highway 20. According to a news release by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, the accident involved a single vehicle heading westbound on Highway 20
when it entered the median and struck a crossover at Humboldt Avenue. After striking the crossover, the vehicle came to a rest in the median. The driver, 65 year old, Robert Shantz of Hornick was treated at the scene by the Moville Ambulance and Woodbury County Emergency Services and transported by Mercy Air Care to Mercy Medical Center where he died. The Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office is continuing the crash investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Moville Fire Department also responded and assisted at the accident scene.
NIPCO Contributes To Le Mars Community Betterment Program
(Le Mars) — During Thursday’s city council meeting, Mike Donlin, president with the Le Mars Area Betterment Foundation announced to the council members the latest business to contribute money for the Community Betterment Project 2
program. Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative, or known as NIPCO, along with its partners, presented a check for a one-time donation in the amount of $7,500.
Angela Catton is the Director of Member Relations and Development with the power utility cooperative, and explains why NIPCO chose to donate funds for the betterment of Le Mars.
Catton explains how NIPCO was able to appeal to its partners to triple the size of the contribution.
Brown Musical Family To Participate In “Open For Business” Competition
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Main Street program would like to encourage you to attend the Open for Business state competition on August 1st in Sioux City.
The Brown Family is one of five regional winners from across the state. They will be making a 15 minute presentation in hopes of winning $20,000.
Mary Reynolds with the Le Mars Main Street organization says, “We’d like to have a large group cheering on the Browns. Please mark your calendars and come support the Browns!!!”
The competition is scheduled for 5pm-7:30pm, in Gallery B at the Sioux City Convention Center, 801 4th Street. Debi Durham with the Iowa Economic Development Authority will serve as the program’s emcee. The winner will be announced following the five community presentations.
Water Department Says Ice Cream Plant To Test Sprinkler System
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Water Department wants to remind residents and businesses that on Tuesday, July 11th, Wells Enterprises North Plant will be testing its water sprinkling system. City Water Superintendent Gayle Sitzmann
says the south plant has done this in the past on an annual basis, along with other businesses from time to time will check their sprinkler system. Sitzmann says there may be a possibility that residents and businesses near the north ice cream plant may encounter some discolored water during the time of the testing.
Sitzmann says if you do have discolored water, you may contact the city water department at 546-5555 or contact city hall offices. Sitzmann says the testing will begin at around 8:00 a.m.
Residents Of Public Housing To Sue Because of Bed Bugs
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Court of Appeals says a group of residents at a Des Moines public housing apartment building may proceed with their bed bug lawsuit as a class-action case.
The court on Thursday upheld the class certification sought by 55 tenants of Royal View Manor.
They’re suing Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency for failing to properly remedy a bed bug problem they say persisted between 2010 and 2015.
As many as 600 residents and former residents could be part of the class.
The lawsuit filed in October 2014 returns to Polk County District Court for trial.
A similar lawsuit filed in 2010 against two other apartment buildings in Des Moines resulted in a settlement of nearly $2.5 million.
Royal View Manor residents have hired the attorney who won that settlement.
Muscatine Waste Water System Back On Line
MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) – Muscatine city officials say a UV disinfection treatment system that is the final step to treating the city’s wastewater has been repaired.
Earlier this week, the system broke down, leading the Muscatine Water Pollution Control Plant to discharge treated wastewater – without the disinfection process – into the Mississippi River.
By law, that required officials to issue a public notice for people to avoid full-body contact or ingesting water downstream from the plant. But the city noted that the water, even before running through the UV disinfection system, was at or exceeded acceptable levels for discharge into the river.
